About TAA

As stated in its Articles of Incorporation, Tomiki Aikido of the Americas (TAA) “seeks to introduce and promote the Japanese martial art of Aikido by organizing training camps, exhibitions and tournaments around the world.” The TAA brings together Aikido clubs throughout the Americas, including Brazil, the United States of America, and Trinidad/Tobago, with publications, newsletters, seminars, and competitions. The TAA also coordinates various Aikido activities with other national and international Aikido organizations

Mission Statement

Tomiki Aikido of the Americas is formally incorporated and is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a tax exempt organization. The TAA functions on a non-exclusive and non-discriminatory basis as an umbrella organization for all of the Tomiki Aikido clubs and schools in the Americas that wish to join. As Tomiki Sensei emphasized so many times, we should strive to welcome everyone and to learn from each other by practicing together. To help attain this goal, Tomiki Sensei advocated joint practice sessions as well as open tournaments comprised of both kata embukai and team and individual shiai (randori).

In furtherance of Tomiki Sensei’s desires and goals, the TAA helps to coordinate national and international events, provides support for regional events, encourages the interchange of information on training methods and the coordination of our grading and promotion standards on a national and international level, raises public funds to support the Association and its educational goals, and engages in related activities. Because each of us has a different way of practicing Aikido based on our experiences, body type, and training (and it is this difference that can help to make Tomiki Aikido a strong and vibrant martial art), Tomiki Aikido of the Americas does not set binding guidelines on how individual clubs and schools are run. Rather, those are decisions that should be made by the individual sensei who runs the dojo.

Tomiki Aikido of the Americas functions as a central coordinating and support center rather than as an authoritarian governor. We strive to unify our teaching methods and promotion standards so that the members of all of our clubs can practice and compete effectively and safely together with members of other clubs, while retaining as much as possible each club’s individuality.

Board of Directors & Leadership

The current Tomiki Aikido of the Americas Board of Directors and Leadership Panel: